Principal Engineer - Advanced Mechanical Technologies

About our group:

The Advanced Mechanical Technologies team develops next-generation mechanical positioning solutions for recording heads, including head-gimbal assemblies (HGA) and micro-actuators. We are part of Seagate’s Advanced Heads R&D organization, working at the forefront of mechanical innovation to enable higher areal density, improved reliability, and robust manufacturability in future HDD platforms.

Seagate is seeking a Principal Engineer, Advanced Mechanical Technologies to serve as a technical authority and architectural leader within our Advanced Heads Research & Development organization. Reporting to the Engineering Director, this role carries significant ownership over mechanical architecture, technology roadmaps, and design decisions that directly influence future generations of hard disk drive (HDD) products used by millions worldwide.

At Seagate, Principal Engineers are empowered to set direction, challenge assumptions, and leave a lasting technical legacy. You will work alongside world-class engineers on problems that demand rigor, creativity, and deep technical judgment—while shaping technologies that define the future of data storage.

About the role - you will:

This is not a project-only role. As a Principal Engineer, you will shape long-term strategy, guide multidisciplinary teams, mentor engineers, and translate advanced research into manufacturable, high-volume technologies. You will operate at the intersection of mechanical dynamics, micro-actuation, materials science, and experimental validation, collaborating across global design centers, factories, and supplier partners.

As a Principal Engineer, you will:

• Define and owns mechanical architecture and technology roadmaps for HGA and micro-actuated systems, ensuring alignment with Seagate’s product strategy, manufacturing readiness, and long-term business objectives.
• Apply expert technical judgment to resolve high-impact, ill-defined problems, balancing physics, reliability, cost, and manufacturability tradeoffs.
• Lead advanced R&D initiatives across multiple programs, delivering measurable progress in technology readiness, performance robustness, and design scalability.
• Drive execution excellence by ensuring analytical rigor, model-to-test correlation, and disciplined experimental validation.
• Influence cross-functional teams (controls, tribology, materials, electronics, manufacturing) to achieve integrated system-level outcomes.
• Act as the primary technical interface with key suppliers, guiding joint development efforts and ensuring external work meets Seagate’s performance and quality standards.
• Develop reusable tools, models, metrology methods, and technical frameworks that improve decision quality and accelerate downstream adoption.
• Mentor and develops technical talent, strengthening organizational capability and enabling others to operate effectively at higher levels of complexity.

About you:

• Core Technical Expertise
• Deep experience in mechanical dynamics, structural design, and actuation systems
• Strong expertise in piezoelectric materials, micro-actuators, and material characterization and testing.
• Advanced experience in finite element modeling of dynamic systems using tools such as Ansys (Classic & Workbench), HyperWorks, MATLAB, or equivalent
• Experimental & Analytical Skills
• Hands-on experience with laboratory experimentation and validation, including instrumentation and metrology
• Familiarity with LDV, function generators, oscilloscopes, NI data acquisition systems
• Proficiency in Python and/or MATLAB for data analysis, modeling, and automation
• Highly Valued Differentiators
• Experience with MEMS or adjacent micro-scale technologies
• Application of data analytics or AI/ML to modeling, optimization, signal processing, or metrology
• Demonstrated ability to bridge research, design, and manufacturing constraints

Your experience includes:

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or related field with 15 years of experience, or Master’s degree with 10 years, or PhD with 8 years, or equivalent combination of education and experience

The estimated base salary range for this position is $158,516.80 - $235,393.60. The individual salary is based on work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

Seagate offers comprehensive benefits to its eligible employees, including, but not limited to, eligibility to participate in discretionary bonus program, medical, dental, vision, and life insurance, short-and long-term disability, 401(k), employee stock purchase plan, health savings account, dependent care, and healthcare spending accounts. Seagate also offers paid time off, including 12 holidays, flexible time off provided pursuant to Seagate policy, a minimum of 48 hours of paid sick leave, and 16 weeks of paid parental leave. The benefits for this position are based on a full-time schedule for a full calendar year and may differ depending on work location.

Location:

Seagate’s Normandale campus, spanning Bloomington and Edina, MN, serves as the global hub for recording head development and manufacturing. The campus offers an on-site café, fitness center, wellness programs, indoor walking paths, meditation rooms, and frequent cultural and community events. Numerous dining, shopping, and recreational options are located just minutes away.

Location: Normandale, United States
Travel: Up to 10%